The current health crisis caused by Covid-19 is posing new challenges to psychologists and the way in which current and future professionals should be available to meet the needs of citizens, said the President of the Portuguese Psychologists Association this Wednesday.
[dropcap]F[/dropcap]rancisco Miranda Rodrigues spoke at the opening ceremony of the academic year of undergraduate courses in Psychology and the master’s degree in Clinical and Health Psychology, at the Piaget de Almada Institute.
Due to the imposition of the new rules to combat the pandemic, and contrary to what is usual, the ceremony took place entirely in a virtual format, through the Zoom platform.
In his speech, the President referred to the continuous commitment to dignify the profession, highlighting the exponential development in the 10 years of existence of the Order of Psychologists and the need to have a well-regulated profession and professionals increasingly available to citizens.
Addressing the students who are now starting their studies, the President said he hoped that, after a successful school career, they would become professionals who “will also add new and different views on the profession”.
The Order, stressed its responsible person, “has always been close to the psychology students and has different initiatives, so that everyone can have a better knowledge of the profession”, adding that everyone can count on the institution to support them in entering the labor market.
In the event, open to the entire academic community, the director of ISEIT of Almada (where the courses are integrated), João Geraldes; the coordinator of the Psychology degree, Nuno Colaço; and professor Marlene Silva.
Recently, the Psychology degree in Almada was distinguished by A3ES (Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Agency) with the maximum accreditation, without conditions, for a period of six years.
In addition to the Almada campus, the course is also taught by the Piaget Institute at its university center in Viseu, having obtained the same accreditation by A3ES.
Both distinctions result from the recognition of the quality of the training provided, in one of the areas of knowledge privileged by the Institute’s inspirational and first honorary president: the Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, one of the most important thinkers of the 20th century. Started in 1998, the Psychology degree at the Piaget Institute already has more than one thousand graduates.